Tonita Martinez Roybal

1892-1945

Antonita Martinez Roybal of San Ildefonso Pueblo was one of the most accomplished potters of the twentieth century. A contemporary of legendary potter, Maria Martinez, Tonita was a master in her own right and, unlike Maria, painted the majority of her own pottery and allowed herself to be influenced by outside Pueblos. Although San Ildefonso Pueblo is now mostly renowned for its lustrous black-on-black pottery, Tonita also created dramatic black-on-red pots that won her first prizes at the Santa Fe Indian Markets of the 1920s. One particular black-on-red jar from 1923 shows Tonita's excellent painting technique, and use of traditional Hopi designs.